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Winemaker's Notes:

It is when the grapes reach optimal maturity, typically between the 5th and the 15th of september, that the harvest begins at Château Musar.
The grapes are handpicked as the sun rises across the Bekaa valley and are then swiftly transferred to the cellar in Ghazir where fermentation takes place followed by maceration lasting 2 to 4 weeks.
During the first year the wine is racked into Bordeaux type barrels made from Nevers oak and where it matures from 12 to 15 months.
Our philosophy of respect for nature and ecology is the reason for which our wines are neither fined nor filtered and receive no chemical additives with the exception of the minimum necessary dose of sulphur.
At the end of the second year blending takes place with the proportions of cabernet sauvignon, carignan and cinsault varying with each vintage, the only deciding factor being taste.
During the third year bottling takes place after which the wine is allowed to rest 3 to 4 years in our cellars before release.
To best appreciate the subtlety and complexity of Château Musar red we suggest decanting between 30 minutes and 2 hours before serving. Our wines, in particular the older vintages, are keen travelers, yet we suggest you leave them to rest 2 to 4 weeks before serving, and all the while decanting with great care.
While Château Musar red is certainly ready to be enjoyed upon release 7 years after vintage, or at the age of discretion, the patient are rewarded as they are exceptional after 15 years of age.
Harvest Report:
Winter was a normal Lebanese winter; a mixture of cold rainy and snowy weather with weeks of sunshine. But it was again followed by a rainy and cold spring which was to last until June. Then July, August, September and October were normal but with absolutely no rain at all. Flowering happened later than usual but was good and this delayed the whole process with late maturity.
We finally started harvesting on the 9th September. Some of the grapes were quite mature, while others could have waited two more weeks. There was no obvious reason for this diversity but this is "Les caprices de la nature".
The crop was normal, both in quality and quantity; grapes were in good shape with no problems or disease and good to eat. Fermentation went smoothly but quicker than usual.
Results were good, 1998 is a very aromatic and fragrant year. However it definitely lacks the body of the 1997.
It is much more powerful that we did expect. So for the time being, I am confused and will wait until the spring to make a final judgement on whether the 1998 will be a great year.

My Wines

My Cellar

Created in 1930 in the cellar of an old 17th century castle, Château Musar is as much the work of a family as the living testimony of all the civilisations that have tread its soil. After a long stay in France, Gaston Hochar returned to Lebanon and created Château Musar in the cellars of the old 'Mzar' castle in Ghazir, overlooking the Mediterranean sea. What began as a h... Read more

Created in 1930 in the cellar of an old 17th century castle, Château Musar is as much the work of a family as the living testimony of all the civilisations that have tread its soil. After a long stay in France, Gaston Hochar returned to Lebanon and created Château Musar in the cellars of the old 'Mzar' castle in Ghazir, overlooking the Mediterranean sea. What began as a hobby soon became a passion; a passion inspired by an initial encounter with renowned viticulturist Ronald Barton while he was stationed in Lebanon during the Second World War. The family's love for wine grew and in 1959, after completing his oenology diploma in Bordeaux, the eldest son, Serge, entered the business. Some call him the magician, the man behind this extraordinary wine. His response is that he only seeks is to translate what nature intended. Serge's younger brother Ronald, named after the late Barton, took over Château Musar's marketing and finance departments in 1962. Read less

Member Reviews for Chateau Musar Red Blend

Bordeaux-like wine from the Bekaa valley. Ch Musar is one of the most known Lebanese wines worldwide. The color is a bit pale but do not let it deceive you. This wines packs enough punch to knock your socks off. It has a dirty earthy nose...Reminds me of blue cheese!!! Moderate on the palate, showing leather and spice and lots of black fruits and ends up with a long finish. Good tannins and good acidity = long aging potential. Carafe for 2 hrs before drinking.

My all time favourite wine. Heady, musky, rich, back of an ancient wardrobe thing going on - really complex and evocative. Love it love it love it. The 99 is not as good but worth buying if it's under €20.

It is when the grapes reach optimal maturity, typically between the 5th and the 15th of september, that the harvest begins at Château Musar.
The grapes are handpicked as the sun rises across the Bekaa valley and are then swiftly transferred to the cellar in Ghazir where fermentation takes place followed by maceration lasting 2 to 4 weeks.
During the first year the wine is racked into Bordeaux type barrels made from Nevers oak and where it matures from 12 to 15 months.
Our philosophy of respect for nature and ecology is the reason for which our wines are neither fined nor filtered and receive no chemical additives with the exception of the minimum necessary dose of sulphur.
At the end of the second year blending takes place with the proportions of cabernet sauvignon, carignan and cinsault varying with each vintage, the only deciding factor being taste.
During the third year bottling takes place after which the wine is allowed to rest 3 to 4 years in our cellars before release.
To best appreciate the subtlety and complexity of Château Musar red we suggest decanting between 30 minutes and 2 hours before serving. Our wines, in particular the older vintages, are keen travelers, yet we suggest you leave them to rest 2 to 4 weeks before serving, and all the while decanting with great care.
While Château Musar red is certainly ready to be enjoyed upon release 7 years after vintage, or at the age of discretion, the patient are rewarded as they are exceptional after 15 years of age.
Harvest Report:
Winter was a normal Lebanese winter; a mixture of cold rainy and snowy weather with weeks of sunshine. But it was again followed by a rainy and cold spring which was to last until June. Then July, August, September and October were normal but with absolutely no rain at all. Flowering happened later than usual but was good and this delayed the whole process with late maturity.
We finally started harvesting on the 9th September. Some of the grapes were quite mature, while others could have waited two more weeks. There was no obvious reason for this diversity but this is "Les caprices de la nature".
The crop was normal, both in quality and quantity; grapes were in good shape with no problems or disease and good to eat. Fermentation went smoothly but quicker than usual.
Results were good, 1998 is a very aromatic and fragrant year. However it definitely lacks the body of the 1997.
It is much more powerful that we did expect. So for the time being, I am confused and will wait until the spring to make a final judgement on whether the 1998 will be a great year.